Daily Readings - Tue Jul 14 2020
Isaiah
1And it happened in the days of Ahaz, the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, the king of Judah, that Rezin, the king of Syria, and Pekah, the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, ascended to Jerusalem to battle against it. But they were not able to defeat it2And they reported to the house of David, saying: "Syria has withdrawn to Ephraim." And his heart was shaken, with the heart of his people, just as the trees of the forest are moved by the face of the wind3And the Lord said to Isaiah: Go out to meet Ahaz, you and your son, Jashub, who was left behind, to the end of the aqueduct, at the upper pool, on the road to the fuller’s field4And you shall say to him: "See to it that you are silent. Do not be afraid. And have no dread in your heart over the two tails of these firebrands, nearly extinguished, which are the wrath of the fury of Rezin, king of Syria, and of the son of Remaliah.5For Syria has undertaken a plan against you, with the evil of Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, saying6"Let us ascend to Judah, and stir it up, and tear it away for ourselves, and appoint the son of Tabeel as a king in its midst.7Thus says the Lord God: This shall not stand, and this shall not be8For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within sixty-five years from now, Ephraim will cease to be a people9For the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you will not believe, you will not continue
Matthew
20Then he began to rebuke the cities in which many of his miracles were accomplished, for they still had not repented21"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in haircloth and ashes22Yet truly, I say to you, Tyre and Sidon shall be forgiven more than you, on the day of judgment23And you, Capernaum, would you be exalted all the way to heaven? You shall descend all the way to Hell. For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Sodom, perhaps it would have remained, even to this day24Yet truly, I say to you, that the land of Sodom shall be forgiven more than you, on the day of judgment.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of faith, trust, and response to God's presence. In the first reading from Isaiah, we find King Ahaz facing the threat of invasion from Syria and Israel. Isaiah, guided by God, urges Ahaz to remain calm and trust in God's plan, warning that without faith, he will not endure. This passage emphasizes the importance of trusting in God's providence amidst uncertainty.
In the Gospel, Jesus rebukes the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum for their lack of repentance despite witnessing miracles. He contrasts their response with that of Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom, suggesting that these cities would have repented had they received similar graces. This highlights the gravity of responding to God's gifts with humility and repentance.
Both readings connect through the call to faith and responsiveness to God's presence. Isaiah's message of trust in God's plan aligns with Jesus' emphasis on repentance in the face of divine grace. In our daily lives, we are reminded to trust in God's plan and respond to His presence with humility and repentance. Let us reflect on our own faith journey, ensuring we nurture a deep trust in God and a heartfelt response to His grace.